proper.

the same time that they are regarded as forming toget one and the same life." Mer. Rev. 1877, pp. 184,185.* C. Its doctrinal value. Ebrard, on page 547, says t Apoc. contains, "in addition to eschatology, the whole of ology." But for him, it throws but little light on th Of course the doctrine of the Trinity is taugh the strongest proof passages for it are found here. A against Unitarianism, or any really wrong view of the per our Lord, the testimony of inspiration is here absolutely whelming. An honest Unitarian like Mr. Sears, in his " of Jesus," seems through the study of the Apocalypse forced back to what is essential in the doctrine of the Ch But when Dr. Ebrard attempts to regulate the Apocal statements according to the canon of his dogmatic syste finds that he has a difficult task on hand.

Very different, however, with Mr. Smith. It is refreshin see with what confidence he sweeps along, after having, a supposed, discovered the key to the book, unfolding each p of the movement, thinking only of his key and the wond apocalyptic phenomenon with which he is confronted. true, as he fully recognizes, that it is God, the Creator, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and of the whole Covenant, that gave this revelation to His Son Jesus Chr But as soon as the revelation begins, Christ is all in all. He the spiritual Sun, not merely of the Church, or of the N Jerusalem; everywhere throughout Mr. Smith's book, Christ the spiritual Sun of the Universe. We wish we had room passages illustrative of this feature of our author's theologi thinking. We will simply add that we feel persuaded that we were to ask him for a definition of the word Christocentri he could furnish a far more rational and satisfactory one tha could Dr. Ladd, who knows, however, how to make good use the term.

"The Apoc. is the keystone of the revelation of God überhaupt. In it i repeated the whole O. T. with its entire process of development." Ebrard, p 547.

We have not the slightest ground for doubting the sincerity of our author. There is too much of vivida vis animi in his writing to allow the suspicion that what he says is not the conviction of his heart. It is occasion for joy in these dark days of unbelief to find a man so little disturbed by critics and scientists, as to tell the world, in this clean cut, outspoken, indeed eloquent way, that the living risen, personal glorified Godman is now seated on the throne of the universe, the proper object of His people's worship, the actual hearer of their prayers, as well as the only source of life and light for the world. He will not have himself regarded as a Gnostic in any sense of the word. Were he to write a system of Christian doctrine, he could never bring in the locus of the Status exaltationis as an appendage to his body of divinity. It would have to be a matter of central, governing, force, as it is, in divine revelation throughout. And when teaching "De Scripturis Sanctis," he would, if consistent with many of his statements, be compelled to look upon them as indeed nothing more than a shadow, more or less luminous which He throws upon this dark world of ours, to be illuminated, however, not from the darkness which they enter, but from their only source, at the same time the source of all true light-His own divine-human person. The epistles to the churches, are they not Christ's own words? Says Mr. S., Most undoubtedly and emphatically. Does this same living Christ address us at the present day through them? Certainly. How can we understand them as bearing directly upon our case. Answer: Precisely in so far as we believe that the living God-man is now addressing them to us. In so far they are warm as with the breath of His own mouth, and luminous with the glory of the Heaven whence they proceed. So says Dr. Nevin with the Word of God throughout, it is in a real sense the Word of Inspiration. Therefore he would add, Let Christ never become the shadow of the Sacred writings, that is, the mere phantom which these books reflect into or upon our minds, as our modern Gnostics will persist in having it." He can be the shadow of nothing." On the contrary, all else must be the

reflection of Him,-Scriptures, Church, Kingdom of H that or nothing. With all this, we repeat Mr. Smith's t the Apocalypse and of the universe seems at first glan events, to be in perfect and intelligent accord.

3. ITS PRACTICAL VALUE.

What do we mean by practical value? Well, the answer would be that we get a share of the light whic book represents as being shed upon the universe. Most consider books of value in these days in so far as the nish material they can utilize for the end dearest to hearts. With some, this is to make money; with others, to in the world. These, of course, are selfish, temporal This book holds in the sphere of the spiritual and et Revelation, as the later German theologians insist, is for s tion. It can be helpful thus only to those who really lo Heaven for help and who desire only that help which He can give.

The comment of Dr. Ebrard on chap. 1: 3, "Blessed that readeth, and they that hear the words of this proph and keep those things which are written: for the time is hand," may be acceptable to our readers: "This beatificat directed so generally to all readers, in so far as they are a (obedient) hearers and retainers, indicates unquestionably t the Revelatiou of St. John the Divine is and should be a B of practical religious significance. Although its depths are be but gradually disclosed, it has been, in its chicf lineame intelligible for Christianity since the days of St. John. For Nutzanwendung-that is apractical ground-rule of piety-su gested itself to the reader, as the result of a correct unde standing of it, which it was his duty to observe. For learned first and before all (for this was and is the chi practical aim of the Revelation), against what formations o falsehood and Satan's kingdom he should at all times be on guard. But then he learned also that there was no cause for

hi

ear or discouragement; also that he should not look for the coming of the Lord before the time (?). The history of the quiet and retiring children of God, in ages the most varied, ffords proof that for them the Revelation was no closed book, out an open and precious one, and that, although sometimes mistaken in matters of form, they exceedingly (uberaus) well and righly understood the inner sense and substance, and turned t to spiritual account."

We are sorry to say, somewhat to the discredit of this 'highly revered and distinguished interpres et vindex of our ancient Reormed faith, that in trying to hit the gist of the Nutzanwendbareit of the Apocalypse, he has been surpassed, in our estimation, y our American (apparently) sectarian divine. He closes his Dook with the following language:

"One who attempts to comment upon this book cannot fail to feel its warning against any addition to the prophecy or subtraction from it. I ask myself if I have thus drawn upon myself the plagues that are written in this book.' My thought has been neither to add to nor to take from; I have tudied and written with the profoundest reverence in my heart, and the desire to let the words of God produce their own mpression upon my mind. It is with the hope that I have contributed to the knowledge of my readers that which will make the Apocalypse to them the same treasury of blessed informaion that it has become to me, that I have written these pages. If those who read them feel as I feel, I am sure I shall have done them or the book no harm. My heart glows with a brighter hope, and is nerved with a more cheerful courage and a stronger. determination, as I think of those bright and happy views of the world's future which I have gained from the Apocalypse.

"Thank God we may share in the vast benefits which this book pictures. As we see their greatness and grandeur, they seem too much for such creatures as we are to obtain. But they are freely offered to us all. "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely!" Oh, that an intelligent view of the blessedness disclosed in the Apocalypse, as the possible por

tion of every child of man, may move every soul to an ate and grateful acceptance of the gift!"

To all this the seriously minded reader must undo say "Amen." But still he has some misgivings as to Mr. Smith is master of the situation. Can he ade satisfy the expectations which he has aroused in the m those for whom he writes? He seems sound on most of th ing theological points. But is he on a fair way of g the Christological idea in its fullness? In what sense find here an approximation to what this is in its central gence, as the three disciples, for example, caught a glimps when they were with Christ on the mount of transfigu of which glimpse we have here what Ebrard calls a "dild that is a fully expanded unfolding, namely, in the apocal vision of St. John the Divine on the island of Patmos? An article will look into this matter more closely.

We feel sure at all events that Mr. Smith will say Am the prayer with which the pious Bengel closes his expositi

the book:

"How many important things, O Lord Jesus, lie open in Revelation, before Thy view, which with my defective visi have failed to see.* Make up for my own and others' sh comings out of Thine own pleroma.

"Thine be the power and glory for ever. Amen."

*"Bengel, Who in his Gnomon condensed more matter into a line than ca extracted from the pages of other writers, united profound reverence for Bible with an acuteness which let nothing escape him." Schaff-Herzog, Bengel.